The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-03-23
W1LM1xcroS FLORA

- inc IitAS OI pamphlet, lOr copy Oh
which we aie indebted to one of the
authors, Dr.. Thomas F. Wood. Mr..
Gerald McCarty was united .Kith him in
the preparation of the work intended to
illustrate the fora ofthe lower Cape Fear.
1t is pleasing and interesting to note
the progress in the botanical knowledge
relating to any part of North Carolina.
That relating TO the portion treated of in
this pamphlet has had several Jealous
and competent observers chief among
whom was the Rev. II. a. Curtis, D. D.,
who in 1882 published an enun.e =. i.", Of
the plants growing around WilmInst ii
from Knowledge gained by personal
investigation. Most fortunately, DIR.
Wood comes in with his yea and scien-
tific attainment to complete what DR..
Curtis may have left incomplete. The
writer of this has had personal exper-
ience of the fitness of DR.. Wood, having
accompanied him on various rambles
through woods and savanrahs, returning
rich with the spoils of new and rare
plants and flowers. We remember Civ
ing to DR.. Wood the finest specimen he
1t was given to us by Mr.. William Wat
ters, who broke brancch from the shrub
which bore it in Brunswick county, eight
miles West from Wilmington, ignorant,
as were all who saw it, at the time, of it's
name and character. It was subsequently
classified by DIR. Wood, and we had the
pleasure to learn the botanical name-it
has no common name-of flower so
rare and beautiful, and also to learn that
it was the only representative on the
North America Continent of the Camel
liza or tea family. We would not men
ton this, but for the fact that, in refer
ring to the plant in this pamphlet, DR..
Wood refers to Mr.. Waters as the DIS
cov9rer. But DR.. Curtis had previously
noticed it.
DR.. Wood describes that curious plant,
DioHsa MuscipHlG, or Venus Fly Trap,
found no where else except in North
Carolina, and almost exclusively near
Wilmington.
The botany of North Carolina has not
only engaged the attention and interes-
ted the labors of our native scientists,
such as DR.. Curtis, DR.. Mckee, DIR. Cyrus
Hunter, Hardy B. Groom and others, and
the botanists of other States like Prof.
Gray, but long ago, from its extent and
richness. engaging that work of foreign
ers when exploration was accompanied
with some danger, certainly with bmuch
labor and priVation. As early as 1776,
William Bartram visited the mountains
of Cherokee. and bore away with him
the fruits of many valuable discoveries.
The elder Michaux, under the patronage
of the French government. visited the
same region in 1887, and made subsequ-
ent exploration in what are now Burke
and Yancey counties. In 1899 Mr..
Fraser, a Scotchman, having made ex-
plorations in 1879, made another in
1893 under the patronage of the Russian
government, and in this expedition dis
covered that splendid variety of laurel.
tho Rhododendron Cataubiense, an in,
habitant of the highest mountains
Among other foreign botanists, was Mr..
John Lyon, an Englishman, who came
among the noun aims in 1902, spent sew
eral years in researches. and died in
Asheville in 1914. We question whether
any one in the place can now point out
without close search, the plain marble
shaft erected ovet his grave. That those
were worth the pains of
exploration is proved by the uniform
testimony IF allthose who have studied
its floral wealth. The stately trees. the
shrubs, and the beautiful
flowers, abound in grandeur, variety and
beanty nowhere surpassed; and DR.. Cur
It's sayF, I'VE may safely say that no por-
tiou OF the Eastern United States pres
ents them in happier combination, in
greater perfection, or in larger extent
than do the mountains of Noltn Caro-
lima, especially in the counties of Yam.
cey, Buncombe, Burke and Hay wool